Robert Fink Jr.[Photo: Columbia Borough Police Department]
JACK PANYARD | LNP Staff Writer
A Columbia man will spend up to 20 years in state prison after being sentenced Monday for sexually assaulting a minor he gave marijuana to in 2023.
Robert Fink Jr., 44, pleaded guilty to statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a minor and six other charges after police said he assaulted a 13-year-old girl in his home in September 2023.
Lancaster County Judge Merrill Spahn sentenced Fink to 10 to 20 years in prison as part of a plea deal. Fink, his attorney Rian Thompson and Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo did not give statements at the hearing.
A group of family members for the girl sat in court for the hearing. None of them gave a statement.
Police say the girl was visiting Fink’s home on the evening of Sept. 9, 2023, where he gave her marijuana and began sexually assaulting the girl, ignoring her demands to stop.
Investigators found Fink’s DNA on the girl and charged him in November 2024.
What happened: Council quelled rumors that the borough is negotiating a partnership or sale of the former McGinness Airport site with a local developer, after resident Frank Doutrich inquired about it. Resident Sharon Lintner also said Mayor Leo Lutz alluded to a possible public-private partnership during a previous meeting.
Possible interest: Council President Heather Zink denied those rumors. She stated that developers may be showing interest, but no agreements are in place and the borough must resolve zoning issues first. She also said the borough’s intention is to eventually sell the property, so they would not be interested in entering a partnership. However, council member Todd Burgard said the borough wouldn’t rule anything out in the future.
Columbia Borough Council had considered employing this development plan for the McGinness Innovation Park before deciding to “pivot.”
Quotable: “To (Doutrich’s) point, anything is possible. We were going to develop it (the McGinness site) into an innovation park and had to pivot. It might require another pivot,” Burgard said. “That’s business.”
Frank Doutrich (far right) asked if council sent a letter to former finance manager Michelle Jenkins banning her from borough property.
Conflicting statements from Columbia Borough officials have raised questions about the borough’s policy on banning former employees from borough property.
The issue was briefly discussed at the May 27, 2025 borough council meeting, when resident Sharon Lintner asked whether former Finance Manager Michelle Jenkins had been banned from borough property after her termination, similar to the action taken against former Market House Manager Chris Vera earlier this year. Council President Heather Zink said she could not answer the question, citing lack of knowledge about the matter.
A month earlier, at the March 27, 2025 council meeting, Mayor Leo Lutz said such bans are “standard procedure” that had occurred “quite a few times in the past.” When asked by a resident about who had been banned, Lutz responded: “Probably everybody that left, including officers. It’s a standard management decision.”
Councilman Eric Kauffman: “That’s not a standard policy.”
However, a different picture emerged at Tuesday’s council workshop. In the mayor’s absence, Councilman Eric Kauffman contradicted Lutz’s earlier statements when responding to resident Frank Doutrich’s question about Jenkins’ status.
“I don’t believe that is the policy,” Kauffman stated, adding that Jenkins had not been banned from borough property. “That’s not a standard policy.” Kauffman prefaced his remarks by saying he did not want to misrepresent the mayor but maintained that banning is not standard policy. Councilman Kauffman’s statements suggest no such blanket policy exists.
The discrepancy raises concerns regarding communication and clarity about borough policies, particularly given the mayor’s role as a public representative. Perhaps the matter will be resolved if the mayor attends next week’s borough council meeting.
Joe’s Steak Shop opened its doors in 1958 at the Five Points intersection (Fourth and Perry Streets). The restaurant, owned and operated by Joseph Tomcavage, built its reputation on a promise: “Our sandwiches can’t be duplicated.” Joe’s specialized in Italian steak sandwiches, subs & pizzas, according to an advertisement.
Joe’s became popular with the weekday lunch rush and late-night dining crowd. Back in the day, the business hours were Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Customers could reach the establishment at MU4-9671, using the telephone dialing convention of that era.
Now called Mr. Joe’s Steak House and Restaurant, the establishment is still in operation.
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The bluebird of happiness is looking sad.
View from the Helen L. Schlossman Memorial Garden at Mount Bethel Cemetery.
At times like this, you can’t see the readout on the meter, but neither can the parking enforcement officer – leading one to conclude it’s possible to park for free (?)
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17512
Squash blossom blooming
Something’s happening under the bridge.
Someone left their drinks there.
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Looking down Manor Street
The rain was heavy at times over the past week.
Growing on the gate.
Workers moved utility wires from one side of South 2nd Street to the other.
More evidence of rain
The cover’s off.
Was someone messing with the cables?
A spider web full of raindrops
Here’s another one.
The fountain’s running at the VFW.
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Another curiosity at Columbia Curiosities
Who says there’s no such thing as a conspiracy?
Kayaks for rent at Columbia River Park
The bridge is leaking . . .
. . . and leaching.
More “wire work,” this time on North 2nd
A fallen tree damaged a resident’s boat and a fence on South 9th Street Sunday morning (6/1/25).
The tree might have been on the property at 700 Franklin Street, now owned by Columbia Borough.
Two of the proposed duplex-style townhomes, at 5th Street & Avenue K. Another duplex will be built at Church Avenue and Avenue K.
Columbia Borough Council unanimously approved the construction of four new townhomes at a meeting Tuesday, marking another step forward in efforts to revitalize vacant properties in the borough.
The development, proposed by the Lancaster County Land Bank Authority, will be built at 154 and 156 S. Fifth Street and 461 Avenue K. The project received approval with no conditions after the borough’s Historical Architectural Review Board recommended council’s endorsement.
Photos showing the locations of the proposed townhomes
The Land Bank Authority, a subsidiary of the Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, specializes in transforming abandoned or deteriorated properties into functional housing and commercial spaces. The organization’s mission focuses on neighborhood improvement and reducing urban blight.
Sean Krumpe, representing the Land Bank Authority, told council members that the townhomes will serve as rental units managed by a property management company. “We are planning on using fair market rent wherever that is for the year the project is completed so we’ll be looking at those rates at that time,” Krumpe said.
Construction will begin once the project secures full funding, though no specific timeline was provided. “I think all the public needs to know is this project here is four buildings…each of them are about a half a million dollars a piece so that’s why you don’t see a lot of new construction in infills, because it is so darn expensive,” Borough Manager Steven Kaufhold noted. The cost of the project is currently estimated at a little over $2 million, which will be partially offset by $500,000 from the state’s Housing Trust Fund.
The development plan calls for two duplex-style buildings containing four residential units total. One building will face Fifth Street, while the second will front Church Avenue. The space between the structures will accommodate parking areas, backyards, and patio space for residents. The Avenue K address will eventually be changed to reflect a Church Avenue location.
According to architectural plans prepared by Tippetts/Weaver Architects, the design draws inspiration from historical development patterns shown in 1886 and 1904 Sanborn Insurance maps. Those maps revealed that two residential structures previously occupied the Fifth Street frontage, with two smaller homes facing Church Avenue.
The proposed townhomes will be constructed as two-and-a-half-story structures featuring gabled roofs with ridges running north to south. The Fifth Street building will include an entry stoop and dormers on the eastern roof slope. Exterior materials are planned as either masonry bases with composite siding or entirely composite siding, both of which architects say align with the surrounding neighborhood character.
The development maintains required zoning setbacks, including a five-foot side yard on the property’s northern edge. Windows will be pultruded fiberglass, with roofing materials consisting of asphalt and fiberglass shingles.
The project is the next step in rebuilding after two fire-damaged houses at 154 and 156 South 5th Street were demolished on July 10, 2023 due to a fire that occurred there on July 22, 2022.
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Columbia Spy 